La Liga powerhouse Barcelona will have to look for a new manager in the summer. Barca’s current manager and legend, Xavi, announced he will step down from his position at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Xavi announced the news following Barcelona’s unexpected 5-3 loss to Villarreal on Saturday, which increased their gap behind league leaders Real Madrid.

“I would like to announce that I will not remain Barça manager beyond the end of this season,” Xavi said. “I had decided to leave a few days ago, but I think now is the right time to announce it to help reduce the tension that exists around the club. A change of dynamic is needed.”

Xavi added that he believes his decision is in the best interest of the club.

“No one is bigger than the club, and I am a supporter above all. I love this club,” he concluded.

Xavi took over his boyhood club midway through the 2021-22 campaign during a challenging period for the club. He managed to get the club from No. 9 to No. 2 on the standings by the end of the season and followed that up with a La Liga title and Spanish Super Cup trophy in 2022-23.

However, things didn’t go as planned this season for Xavi and Barcelona. The club has been in a crisis in recent months and has already been eliminated from Supercopa and Copa del Rey. Barca is sitting in third place in La Liga, with 10 points behind Real and eight points behind second-placed Girona.

The only hope for a successful season seems to be the UEFA Champions League, where Barca is through to the knockout stage and facing Napoli in the round of 16.

The post Xavi Announces He’ll Step Down as Barcelona Manager at the End of the Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Former Barcelona star midfielder Xavi Hernandez won’t take over the club as a manager at the end of the season as it was previously speculated. Instead, Xavi inked a one-year extension that will see him manage Qatar club Al-Sadd for at least one more year.

Barca tried to lure Xavi back to Spain in January, but the 40-year-old Spaniard decided to reject the opportunity as he felt that the timing isn’t right. It was reported that the Catalan club will make another attempt this summer after new manager Quique Setien failed to meet the expectations, but it appears that one will be also unsuccessful.

“I am happy to continue with Al-Sadd, and the team’s goal will always be to compete for all titles,” said Xavi after signing the new deal. “[My] complete focus in this current period is to fully equip the players for the upcoming domestic and Asian competitions.”

Xavi is considered to be Barca legend after he spent the first 20 years of his career at the club and helped La Liga side win 25 trophies. He also captained the club from 2012 to 2015, when he joined Al-Sadd.

Xavi spent four years with Al-Sadd as a player and then took over as the club’s manager immediately after retiring from professional soccer in 2019. So far, he managed to win Qatari Cup and Qatari Super Cup during his time at the helm.

The post Ex-Barca Star Xavi Signs 1-Year Extension to Stay with Al-Sadd appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Barcelona and Spain legendary midfielder Xavi Hernandez decided to retire from soccer after 21 years as a pro. Xavi, who spent the last four year playing in Qatar for Al Sadd, announced his decision on Thursday via an open letter.

In the letter, Xavi confirmed he will finish the current season with Al Sadd, and then pursue a career as a manager.

“It has been a privilege to play football up to age 39 and I would like to finish out the season on the top by winning the Amir Cup and reaching the next stage of the Asian Champions League.” – Xavi wrote. “This is my last season as a player, but I really want to see what the future holds for me as a manager.”

“I love to see teams that take the lead on the pitch, that attacking football and that return to the essence that we all know from the days of our youth, possession of the ball,” – he added. “It has been a privilege to accomplish what I have done over the past two decades. And that is why I feel that it is my duty to begin an initiative on the field and give back to football as long as I am able.”

After the news broke, FC Barcelona, where Xavi started his career, decided to remind everyone on his role in the club’s decorated history. 

Xavi Hernandez made his professional debut with Barcelona in 1998 and ended up playing 17 years with La Liga giant. During that time he won an astonishing number of 25 trophies which included four UEFA Champions League trophies alongside eight national titles. He was equally successful on the international level, winning FIFA World Cup in 2010 and UEFA European Championship trophies in 2008 and 2012 with Spain.

The post Barcelona Legend Xavi Hernandez Retires from Professional Soccer appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Although he is still not done with his career as a professional soccer player, Spain and Barcelona’s legend Xavi Hernandez is already preparing for his retirement. The 38-year-old, who is currently playing for Qatar’s Al Sadd, is working on getting his managerial licenses and hopes to obtain UEFA pro license next year, which would enable him to train any team.

“I have a part [of the coaching licenses to be a manager],” – said Xavi about the process. “I still have one more year left to get the UEFA pro license to be able to coach the big clubs in Europe. Now, for example, I can train Qatar and in small countries, football-wise. At Barca I could train the youth team.“

Xavi Hernandez’s ambition to coach in Europe immediately got people speculating that he could follow Pep Guardiola’s footsteps and return to Spain to coach Barcelona. As it turns out, Xavi can’t see himself in that role at the moment. This, of course, doesn’t mean that he won’t decide to pursue a coaching career at Nou Camp when he gets the feeling he is ready.

“People go faster than what I think. It has always happened to me. When I was a player they talked about the new Guardiola, and I did not see that myself. I needed two-three years to see [myself playing in that role].” – he added. “Now it’s the same as a manager. I still don’t see myself as ready and prepared to do it. They say Xavi will be the future Barcelona manager, but we must be patient because I still don’t see it.“

Xavi is considered one of the best midfielders of all time and ranks at the top as one of Spain’s most successful players. With Barcelona, he won 25 trophies including eight La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League titles. Playing for Spain men’s national team, he won FIFA World Cup in 2010 and UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012.

The post Xavi Hernandez on Becoming Barcelona Manager: “I Still Don’t See It” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

La Liga powerhouse Barcelona will have to look for a new manager in the summer. Barca’s current manager and legend, Xavi, announced he will step down from his position at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Xavi announced the news following Barcelona’s unexpected 5-3 loss to Villarreal on Saturday, which increased their gap behind league leaders Real Madrid.

“I would like to announce that I will not remain Barça manager beyond the end of this season,” Xavi said. “I had decided to leave a few days ago, but I think now is the right time to announce it to help reduce the tension that exists around the club. A change of dynamic is needed.”

Xavi added that he believes his decision is in the best interest of the club.

“No one is bigger than the club, and I am a supporter above all. I love this club,” he concluded.

Xavi took over his boyhood club midway through the 2021-22 campaign during a challenging period for the club. He managed to get the club from No. 9 to No. 2 on the standings by the end of the season and followed that up with a La Liga title and Spanish Super Cup trophy in 2022-23.

However, things didn’t go as planned this season for Xavi and Barcelona. The club has been in a crisis in recent months and has already been eliminated from Supercopa and Copa del Rey. Barca is sitting in third place in La Liga, with 10 points behind Real and eight points behind second-placed Girona.

The only hope for a successful season seems to be the UEFA Champions League, where Barca is through to the knockout stage and facing Napoli in the round of 16.

The post Xavi Announces He’ll Step Down as Barcelona Manager at the End of the Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Former Barcelona star midfielder Xavi Hernandez won’t take over the club as a manager at the end of the season as it was previously speculated. Instead, Xavi inked a one-year extension that will see him manage Qatar club Al-Sadd for at least one more year.

Barca tried to lure Xavi back to Spain in January, but the 40-year-old Spaniard decided to reject the opportunity as he felt that the timing isn’t right. It was reported that the Catalan club will make another attempt this summer after new manager Quique Setien failed to meet the expectations, but it appears that one will be also unsuccessful.

“I am happy to continue with Al-Sadd, and the team’s goal will always be to compete for all titles,” said Xavi after signing the new deal. “[My] complete focus in this current period is to fully equip the players for the upcoming domestic and Asian competitions.”

Xavi is considered to be Barca legend after he spent the first 20 years of his career at the club and helped La Liga side win 25 trophies. He also captained the club from 2012 to 2015, when he joined Al-Sadd.

Xavi spent four years with Al-Sadd as a player and then took over as the club’s manager immediately after retiring from professional soccer in 2019. So far, he managed to win Qatari Cup and Qatari Super Cup during his time at the helm.

The post Ex-Barca Star Xavi Signs 1-Year Extension to Stay with Al-Sadd appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Barcelona and Spain legendary midfielder Xavi Hernandez decided to retire from soccer after 21 years as a pro. Xavi, who spent the last four year playing in Qatar for Al Sadd, announced his decision on Thursday via an open letter.

In the letter, Xavi confirmed he will finish the current season with Al Sadd, and then pursue a career as a manager.

“It has been a privilege to play football up to age 39 and I would like to finish out the season on the top by winning the Amir Cup and reaching the next stage of the Asian Champions League.” – Xavi wrote. “This is my last season as a player, but I really want to see what the future holds for me as a manager.”

“I love to see teams that take the lead on the pitch, that attacking football and that return to the essence that we all know from the days of our youth, possession of the ball,” – he added. “It has been a privilege to accomplish what I have done over the past two decades. And that is why I feel that it is my duty to begin an initiative on the field and give back to football as long as I am able.”

After the news broke, FC Barcelona, where Xavi started his career, decided to remind everyone on his role in the club’s decorated history. 

Xavi Hernandez made his professional debut with Barcelona in 1998 and ended up playing 17 years with La Liga giant. During that time he won an astonishing number of 25 trophies which included four UEFA Champions League trophies alongside eight national titles. He was equally successful on the international level, winning FIFA World Cup in 2010 and UEFA European Championship trophies in 2008 and 2012 with Spain.

The post Barcelona Legend Xavi Hernandez Retires from Professional Soccer appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Although he is still not done with his career as a professional soccer player, Spain and Barcelona’s legend Xavi Hernandez is already preparing for his retirement. The 38-year-old, who is currently playing for Qatar’s Al Sadd, is working on getting his managerial licenses and hopes to obtain UEFA pro license next year, which would enable him to train any team.

“I have a part [of the coaching licenses to be a manager],” – said Xavi about the process. “I still have one more year left to get the UEFA pro license to be able to coach the big clubs in Europe. Now, for example, I can train Qatar and in small countries, football-wise. At Barca I could train the youth team.“

Xavi Hernandez’s ambition to coach in Europe immediately got people speculating that he could follow Pep Guardiola’s footsteps and return to Spain to coach Barcelona. As it turns out, Xavi can’t see himself in that role at the moment. This, of course, doesn’t mean that he won’t decide to pursue a coaching career at Nou Camp when he gets the feeling he is ready.

“People go faster than what I think. It has always happened to me. When I was a player they talked about the new Guardiola, and I did not see that myself. I needed two-three years to see [myself playing in that role].” – he added. “Now it’s the same as a manager. I still don’t see myself as ready and prepared to do it. They say Xavi will be the future Barcelona manager, but we must be patient because I still don’t see it.“

Xavi is considered one of the best midfielders of all time and ranks at the top as one of Spain’s most successful players. With Barcelona, he won 25 trophies including eight La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League titles. Playing for Spain men’s national team, he won FIFA World Cup in 2010 and UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012.

The post Xavi Hernandez on Becoming Barcelona Manager: “I Still Don’t See It” appeared first on SportzBonanza.